StemPro® Neural Supplement enables superior expansion of GPCs, resulting in a more than 50-fold increase in cell number (Figure 1).

Figure 1. GPCs were cultured in medium supplemented with StemPro® Neural Supplement. Every 7 days, cells were harvested and replated for further proliferation and accumulated cell number was documented. After passage 3, accumulated cell number was more than 50-fold higher than starting cell numbers.

Compared to GPCs cultured in StemPro® Neural Supplement (Figure 2A), GPCs cultured in ScienCell™ OPC medium (a competitor) do not passage further and lose their progenitor state to differentiate into astrocytes (Figure 2B).

Figure 2. GPCs were cultured either in (A) GIBCO® medium with StemPro® Neural Supplement or (B) ScienCell™ OPC medium. During the 3 week culture period, cells cultured in (A) GIBCO® medium could be passaged 3 times resulting in 50-fold more cells while retaining their phenotype. However, cells cultured in (B) ScienCell™ OPC medium (a competitor) did not increase in number but resulted in a loss of normal phenotype and differentiation to downstream lineages such as astrocytes (large cell body).

Figure 3. Phenotype marker expression of the human GPCs cultured in medium supplemented with StemPro® Neural Supplement. GPCs were labeled with GPC biomarkers such as PDGFRa, Olig2 and NG2. The data reveal the ability of StemPro® Neural Supplement to support GPCs to retain their undifferentiated status.

Figure 4. Human GPCs were proliferated in the medium supplemented with StemPro® Neural Supplement then differentiated further to (A) oligodendrocytes and to (B) astrocytes. Oligodendrocytes were stained with biomarker of GalC (green) and astrocytes were stained with biomarker of GFAP (Red). All nuclei were labeled with DAPI.